Process for nonmelt forming webs op thermoplastic resin
and article formed thereby

ABSTRACT

THERMOPLASTIC RESIN IS FORMED INTO A CONTINUOUS PATTERNED WEB WHICH REMAINS INTACT WHILE PASSING THROUGH ONE OR MORE STATONS WHERE WORK, INCLUDING NONMELT FORMING, IS DONE ON THE WEB. FOR EXAMPLE, THE WEB FORMED COMPRISES A STRIP OF FILM HAVING SPACED PREFORMS INTEGRALLY MOLDED TO ONE SURFACE THEREOF. AT THE FIRST STATION, THE WEB IS LONGITUDINALLY NONMELT DRAWN WHICH INCREASES THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE PREFORMS BUT DOES NOT CHANGE THEIR CONFIGURATION BECAUSE OF THEIR GREATER THICKNESS. AT THE NEXT STATION, THE PREFORMS ARE NONMELT FORMED INTO A RIVET, AND THE FILM BETWEEN RIVETS IS TRIMMED IN WIDTH IF DESIRED. AT THE FINAL STATION, THE WEB IS BROKEN DOWN INTO DISCRETE RIVETS WHICH ARE NONMELT FORMED IN FASTENING DISPOSITION THROUGH APERTURED SHEET MEMBERS. IF THE FILM OF THE WEB IS RETAINED BETWEEN ONE OR MORE PAIRS OF RIVETS, THE PREVIOUSLY DISCRIBED NONMELT DRAWING OF THE WEB STRENGTHENS THE FILM SO THAT IT CAN SERVE AS A HIGH STRENGTH TYING ELEMENT BETWEEN RIVETS. INSTEAD OF   RIVETS, THE PREFORMS CAN BE UTILIZED AS-MOLD OR AS THEREAFTER NONMELT FORMED OR DRAWN TO FORM OTHER USEFUL ARTICLES TOGETHER WITH OR APART FROM THE AS-MOLDED OR THEREAFTER NONMELT DRAWN FILM PORTION OF THE WEB.

DEEENSTVE UBLICATTQN UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Published at therequest of the applicant or owner in accordance with the Notice of Dec.16, 1969, 869 O.G. 687. The abstracts of Defensive Publicationapplications are identified by distinctly numbered series and arearranged chronologically. The heading of each abstract indicates thenumber of pages of specification, including claims and sheets ofdrawings contained in the application as originally filed. The files ofthese applications are available to the public for inspection andreproduction may be purchased for 30 cents a sheet.

Defensive Publication applications have not been examined as to themerits of alleged invention. The Patent Ofiice makes no assertion as tothe novelty of the disclosed subject matter.

PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 30, 1971 Filed Apr. 10, 1970, Ser. No. 27,240 Int.Cl. 1829f 3/00; F16b 19/04 US. Cl. 161-116 1 Sheet Drawing. 6 PagesSpecification Thermoplastic resin is formed into a continuous patternedweb which remains intact while passing through one or more stationswhere work, including nonmelt forming, is done on the web. For example,the web as formed comprises a strip of film having spaced preformsintegrally molded to one surface thereof. At the first station, the webis longitudinally nonmelt drawn which increases the distance between thepreforms but does not change their configuration because of theirgreater thickness. At the next station, the preforms are nonmelt formedinto a rivet, and the film. between rivets is trimmed in width ifdesired. At the final station, the web is broken down into discreterivets which are nonmelt formed in fastening disposition throughapertured sheet members. If the film of the web is retained between oneor more pairs of rivets, the previously described nonmelt drawing of theweb strengthens the film so that it can serve as a high strength tyingelement between rivets. Instead of rivets, the preforms can be utilizedas-molded or as thereafter nonmelt formed or drawn to form other usefularticles together with or apart from the as-rnolded or thereafternonmelt drawn film portion of the web.

Nov. 30, 1971 K. W.FILBERT ETAL T892,023 PROCESS FOR NONMELT FORMINGWEBS OF THERMOPLASTIC RESIN AND ARTICLE FORMED THEREBY Filed April 10,1970 FORMING STATION

